College football winners, losers in Week 0: Bill Belichick's biggest college win, NC State barely shows up - CBS Sports

College football returned in Week 0 with eight FBS games, three of which stayed within one score into the fourth quarter, delivering early-season drama.

Bill Belichick earned his first major win at North Carolina, defeating TCU in Dublin behind an underrated Tar Heels defense, though the game exposed both TCU's struggles and areas UNC must clean up.

TCU's revamped offense flopped in the Ireland game, scoring just 10 points—the fewest in 31 games—with Harvard transfer Jaden Craig throwing for only 175 yards and a 27% success rate, the lowest of Sonny Dykes' tenure.

Virginia rolled to a blowout win as transfer quarterback Beau Pribula had a career game, ending NC State's hopes of being an ACC dark horse, while Florida State needed four quarters to beat New Mexico State, keeping pressure on Mike Norvell.

No. 14 USC beat San Jose State and got an early glimpse of its top-ranked freshman class, while Group of Six playoff contenders saw North Dakota State crush Jacksonville State in its FBS debut and Memphis win at UNLV over former five-star quarterback Jackson Arnold.

History suggests the Ireland opener can be an ominous sign, with past losers like Nebraska (which fired Scott Frost 12 days later in 2022), Navy, Florida State and Kansas State all suffering disappointing seasons afterward.